Fluid-pressure regktiiator



Aug. 18, 1925.

P. w. MULLER FLUID PRESSURE REGULATOR Filed Nov. 13, 1923 INVENTOR F1950, m Me); 45m

ATTORNEY V Patented Aug. 18,1925.

UNITED STAT ES PATENT OFFICE.

FREDERICK W. MULLER, OI HOIBO'KEN, JERSEY.

FLUID-PRESSURE REGULATOR.

Application filed November 1923. Serial No. 674,539.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FREDERICK W. Mtin- LER, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Hoboken," county of Hudson, State of New Jersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in- Fluid-Pressure Regulators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates generally to apparatus for maintaining an approximately uniform fluid pressurein a receptacle to M essential that a counter pressure of compressed air, or carbon dioxide or other gas, be maintained in the upper portion of the filling'tank to prevent as far. as possible liberation of the carbon dioxide gas with which the beer or mineral water in the lower zone of the tank has been charged, and to expedite the discharge of such liquid into the bottles connected to' the tank for filling. This counter pressure may be unintentionally increased by the liberation of gas from the charged liquid asa result of undue agitation thereof, a rise of the liquid level inthe tank,

or from other causes, and may be reduced by leakage of gas or fall of the liquid level, etc. r

Heretofore the commonly used device for controlling such counter pressure in bottle filling machines has been asafety valve on the tank set to blow off at the desired counter pressure, say 20 pounds to the square inch. Difliculties with such safety ,valves have arisen .in practice; because they are liable to. stick and delay their opening or closing, are usually slow in closing so that they do not stopthe escape of gas until the counter pressure has fallen well. below the desired figure, and sometimes get into a condition of equilibrium when partly opened sothat the counter pressure gas escapes co'nthe filling tank tinuously, flowing through from the source of supp y.

" The results of characters indicate like parts.

such faulty operation have been loss of gas from-the source of counter pressure su 1y andloss of gas from the charged liquid being bottled, so that such bottled liquid became flat and unmarketable.

My invention overcomes these difl'iculties primarily by combining the counter pressure supply control with the blow-off device, so that when. either is open' the other must he closed, and then providing a simple, sensitive and quick acting motive apparatus for such joint control, which apparatus is automatically operated by small variations of counter pressure in the filling tank. The best'formof apparatus embodying my invention at present known to me is illustrated in the accompanying sheet of drawings in which:

Fig. 1 is a somewhat diagrammatic side elevation and partialsection of one form of apparatus, parts bein broken away, and

Fig. 2 is a detail section on a plane at right angles to that of Fig. 1 showing the bleed valve,-taken on line 22 of Fig. 1.

- Throughout the, drawings,

1 represents a receptacle capable of holding gases or liquids under pressure by reason of its connection with the fillin tank of a bottling machine, a portion of t e cover of which tank is indicated at 2. One form of such filling tank for bottling apparatus on which my present invention may be employed is illustrated in Fig. 1 of my prior Patent 1,384,538, dated July 12th, 1921. 3 represents a source of gas under pressure such as a connection to any proper storage tank, not shown, and 4 represents any stand- I ard form of pressure reducing valve which will deliver the gas at a substantially unilike reference form pressure so long as the pressure in the connection 3 is above a predetermined maximum. 5 is a section of a conduit extending from the reducing valve 4 and provided with the check valve 6 opening outward from said reducing valve. The conduit section 5 connects with the vertical conduit section 7, which in turn connects through valve ports 8,8, with the receptacle 1.

9' is a'reciprocating valve mounted inthe conduit section 7 as a valve casing and adapted to reciprocate past ports 8, so that when in the lower position shown in full lines in Fig. 1, conduit section 5 and receptacle loare connected, but when the valve is raised'into dotted line position, communi- Leas es cation between the receptacle 1 and the source of counter-pressure supply 3' is cut ofi. 10 is a blow-off conduit which is closed by valve 9 when the latter is in the lower position and the supply connection to receptacle 1 is open, but which is put in connection with said receptacle 1 when the valve is raised to cut ofi the supply of counterpressure from 3 thereto. *Valve 9 is therefore, in effect a switch valve, switching communication with receptacle 1, from the source of supply 3 to blow-off conduit 10, and vice versa.

A convenient motive apparatus for actuating switch valve 9. is represented by the closed chamber 11, having the flexible diamaybe mounted another valve piston 14;

In the particular construction shown, valve pistons 9 and 14 have cup'packings facing one another such as are usually employed. to produce a valve of the balanced type.

17 is a bleed valve for the collapsible or variable volume chamber formed by the flexible diaphragm 12 and the upper wall 24 of the rigid-walled chamber 11. This valve has a seat in the casting 18 and controls connection between the exhaust port 19 communicating with the external atmosphere and the port 23 communicating with the space between diaphragm 12 and upper wall 24. 20 is a projection from valve .17, here shown in the form of a bent strip of metal the upper end of which is adjustably secured to the spindle ofvalve 17 by means of the nuts 21, 21, threaded on said spindle. The lower end of projection 20 passes through an opening in the wall 24 and lies in the path of-the diaphragm 12 whenit rises from the lowermost position shown in full lines in Fi 1 to any such elevated position as there lndicated in broken lines.

22 is a dome fastened to the top wall 24 of chamber 11 and enclosing the bleed valve mechanism so that the same is in an airtight'compartment communicating with the variable volume chamber formed above diaphragm 12. The chamber formed between diaphragm 12 and lower wall 25 of-chamber 11 is connected to receptacle 1, by pipe 16.

It is evident that the upper valve piston 14 will have equal gas pressures exerted on valve piston 14, hasa useful function when the switch valve 9 is raised into the dotted line position shown in Fig. 1, inthat it will then close 011 the source of supply through conduit section 5 from communication with the blow-off conduit 10 through chamber 11, connection 16 and valve ports 8.

The mode of operation of the above described apparatus is as follows: Ass'uming that the pressure reducing valve is set at 20 lbs. and that there is counter-pressure of 20 lbs. in the receptacle 1, as the result of its connection with the gas zone of a filling tank, there will be an excess totalpressure on the upper surface of the flexible diaphragm 12, because the downward pressure on valve piston .9 counterbalances the up- Ward pressure of the gases on a portion of the area of the undersurface of diaphragm 12 equal to the area of said valve piston 9. Or, to state the matter in another form, the pressure per square inch on the two surfaces of the diaphragm 12, are equal, but there is an unbalanced downward thrust of 20'lbs.

to the square inch on the valve piston 9 which will pull the diaphragm 12 down into its lowermost position, which is shown in full lines in Fig. 1, the pressures on the two sides of piston 14 being equal. Consequently, under the conditions assumed of the existence of'a constant counter-pressure of 20 pounds in receptacle 1, the parts will be and remain in the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. If then the counter-pressure in receptacle 1 falls, for any reason, the pressure reducing valve 4 will open and per-. mit a flow of sufiicient gas from the source of counter-pressures to reestablish the normal pressure of 20 lbs. in receptacle 1 and in all communicating passages, and there will be no movement of other parts of the apparatus. If,however, the pressure of gas in receptacle 1 rises, as the result of the liberation of an excessive amount of the carbon dioxidewith which the liquid in the filling tank has been charged, or from a considerable elevation of the liquid level in said tank, or for any other reason, the check valve 6 will close and such excess pressure. will be confined to the lower side of the flexible diaphragm 12. When the excessive pressure on the under side of the diaphragm, above that of 20 lbs. on theupper side, becomes suflicient to overcome the.downward pull of the unbalanced pressure on piston valve 9, said diaphragm and valve will begin to rise as indicated in dotted lines, and when valve 9 passes the ports 8, 8, it will close off the supply of counter-pressure from conduit section 5 to receptacle 1 and simultaneously open communication between the blow-ofl' conduit 10 and the receptacle 1. As a result, a portion of the gases from receptacle 1 will then blow ofl' through conduit 10, the excess pressure in receptacle 1 y will be promptly relieved, the diaphragm 12, having an excess total pressure restored on its upper surface, will move, back to the full line position, putting valve 9 back in normal position, closing the blow-ofi' conduit 10 and reestablishing communication between the source of counter-pressure supply and receptacle 1.

The above described rising of the diaphragm 12 and corresponding movement of valve 9 wil however beslow and may be checked with the valve 9 in mid-position unlessmeans are provided for avoiding this contingency, i. e. unless some means are pro vided for reducing the increased pressure which will be created in the collapsible chamber formed by the diaphragm 12 and the upper wall 24 when saiddiaphragm begins to rise and to reduce the volume of said chamber. Evidently the gases then trapped in that upper portion of chamber 11 cannot escape unless some special means for such escape are then provided, because they cannot .flow back through the reducing valve i and they cannot return to the receptacle 1 through conduit sections 5 and 7, because there is higher gas pressure in 7 holding check valve 6 closed. To avoid-this difiiculty the bleed valve 17 is provided. The projection 20 and other movable parts of this valve are suliiciently heavy to normally hold it closed,

but said projection 20 is so adjusted by means of nuts 21 that at the proper point in the upward travel of flexible diaphra m 12 it will strike the lower end of 20,li t and open the bleed valve 1? and allow the gases trapped above the diaphragm to be slowly exhausted into the atmosphere and thus prevent the rise of'pressure on the'top of the diaphragm which would otherwise follow from a reduction of volume of the collapsible chamber between 12 and 24. If desired, the bleed valve opening may be suflicient to considerably reduce such pressure so that the diaphragm 12 will go up very rapidly after striking 20, and quickly shift the switch valve 9. As soon as the fall of pressure on the under side of the diaphragm 12,

resulting from opening blow-off conduit 10 'to pipe 16, causes it to drop, the bleed valve 17 is closed, and so any constant leakage of counter-pressure through it is avoided. In short the bleed valve 17 is open only while blow-ofi' conduit 10 is open, and this is only during short periods.

The advantages of my invention comprise the prompt, positive, rapid and reciprocal action of the gas admission to, and the-blowoli' outlet from, the filling tank so that the moment the pressure therein falls belowv the predetermined minimum, more gas is admitted to restore said pressure, and the moment the pressure therein rises above the predetermined maximum. (which is only slightly above said minimum) the excess.

pressure is blown off from the tank, and the fact that there can be no wasteful blowing through of gas from the source of counter pressure supply to the blow-off conduit. Also the use of the bleed valve 17 in preventing any stalling of the switch valve 9 in mid stroke, which might result in a leakage from the source of supply to the blowotf valve, or an undue increase of counter pressure in the filling tank, is important.

12, when. the latter is in its lowermost position, by a distance less than the possible range of upward travel by the diaphragm, amounts to a lost motion connection between said valve and diaphragm and other forms of lost motion connections might be substituted therefor.

Having described my invention, I claim:

1. In a. fluid pressure regulator the combination of a fluid-tight receptacle capable of holding fluid at pressures within prede termined limits, a source of fluid supply at a substantially constant pressure slightly above the lower predetermined limit, a conduit extending from said source of supply and discharging into said receptacle, a blowoff connected to said receptacle, means controlling the flow of fluid through said conduit and said blow-oii, and a'device responsive to variations of pressure in said receptacle operatively connected to said controlling means, to alternately shut off the supply to said receptacle and simultaneously open the blow-off therefrom, or to'close said blow-oil and simultaneously open said supply connection.

2. Ina fluid pressure regulator the combination of a fluid-tight receptacle capable of holding fluid at pressures within predetermined limits, a source of fluid supply at a substantially constant pressure slightly above the lower predetermined limit, a conduit extending from said source of supply and discharging into said receptacle, a blowoff connected to said receptacle, means controlling the flow of fluid through said conduit and said blow-off, and a device actuated limits, a source of fluid supply at a constant pressure slightly above thelowcr predeterm ned limit, a conduit extending from said source of supply to said receptacle provided with a check-valve opening toward the receptacle, a blow-off conduit from said first mentioned conduit located between the check-valve and the receptacle, a switch bination of a fluid tight receptacle designed to hold the fluid at a pressure within predetermined limits, asource of fluid supply at a constant pressure slightlyabove the lower predetermined limit, a conduit extending from said source of supply and discharging into said fluid tight receptacle provided with a check-valve opening toward the receptacle, a blow-ofl' conduit from said first mentioned conduit located between the checkvalve and the receptacle, a switch valve adapted to either connect said blow-off to the receptacle while closing 01f the supply connection therefrom or to close said blowoif and open the supply connection to said receptacle, and a device responsive to variations in pressure in said receptacle operatively connected to said switch valve.

5. A combination such asset forth in claim 3 in which the movable member connected to the switch valve is ,a flexible diaphragm. v

6. In a' fluid pressure regulator the combination of a receptacle capable of holding fluids under pressure, a source of fluid supply at substantially constant pressure, a closed chamber with a flexible diaphragm extending across the interior thereof and connected on one side of said diaphragm to the source of supply and on the other side to the receptacle,- a conduit connecting the source of supply and the receptacle, which condult has a check-valve therein opening toward the receptacle, a blow-off conduit between the check-valve and the receptacle and valve means in thefirst mentioned conduit operatively connected to said diaphragmand controlling passage through said conduit to the receptacle and also controllingpassagefrom the receptacle to the c.

blow-off conduit, whereby when pressure in saidreceptacle exceeds that at the source of supply by a predetermined amount said dia phragm operates said valve means to close 011 the supply and connect the receptacle'to the blow-off port, and when the pressure in said receptacle falls below that at the source of supply to a predetermined extent, said diaphragm is moved in the opposite direc tion to close the blow-oft and open the conduit to the receptacle.

7. The combination of a receptacle for holding fluid at pressures between predetermined limits, a source of fluid supply at a substantially constant pressure slightly above the lower predetermined limit, valve means for controlling the flow of fluid from said source of supply to said receptacle, a contracting and expanding chamber, the interior of which is connected to said source of supply, operative connections from the movable wall of said chamber to said valve means, a device for applying the pressure existing in said receptacle to exterior of said movable wall, means for preventing a flow of fluid from said chamber back to said source of supply, and a bleed-valve for said chamber and apparatus whereby said bleed valve is opened when said chamber is contracted by movement of saidmovable wall beyond a/predetermined extent.

8. A combination such as described in claim 7 in which the last mentioned apparatus comprises a lost motion connection.

9. The combination, with an apparatus such as set forth in claim 6, of a bleed-valve for the closed chamber located on that side of the diaphragm therein to -which the source of supply is connected, and means for opening said bleed-valve when the said diaphragm reaches a predetermined positionjn its movement toward that side of said chamber, and for closing it when said diaphragm 1IOnoves toward the other sideof the chamer. t

' 10. In an apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid under pressure from a source of substantially constant pressure to a closed receptacle, which apparatus comprises a chamberwith a flexible diaphragm extending across the same and connected on one side of said diaphragm to said source of supply and on the other to said receptacle, the combination, with said chamber and diaphragm, of a bleed valve in the wall of said chamber on the side connected to said source of supply and adjustable apparatus extending into the path. of movement, of said diaphragm, whereby said valve may be held open when the said diaphragm is within a predetermined distance from that wall of said chamber, but closes when said diaphpiigm is at any greater distance from said Waa 11; In an apparatus for controlling the flow of fluid from a source of supply at substantially constant pressure through aconduit receptacle in which substantially the same pressure is to be maintained, the combination of a closed chamber having a flexi ble diaphragm extending across its interior, a connection from the source of supply to said chamber on one side of said diaphragm and a connection from said receptacle to said chamber on the other side ofthe diaphragm a valve composed of separate pistons spaced apart and mounted on a common piston rod, which valve is connected to said diaphragm and a tubular casing in which said valve reciprocates, one end of which casing is connected to said chamber on that side of the diaphragm to which said receptacle is connected while the other end is open to the atmosphere, said casing having two ports, one connected to the above mentioned conduit'and the other to said receptacle, said ports being spaced apart a distance less than that between the pistons of saidvalve, and a check valve in the conduit between the source of supply and the said double ported valve casing opening away from said source of supply.

12. In an apparatus for controlling flow of fluid from a source of supply at a substantially constant pressure to a closed fluid tight receptacle and maintaining substantially the same pressure in said receptacle, the combination "of a source of supply of fluid at substantially contant pressure, a fluid tight receptacle containing fluid normally at approximately the same pressure, a conduit leading from said source of supply and discharging into said fluid-tight receptacle, which said conduit is provided with a blow-off port and a valve adapted to close the conduitbetween said sources of supply and said blow-01f port, or to close said port and simultaneously open the conduit, and a motor device responsive to variations of pressure in said fluid tight receptacle operatively connected to said valve.

FRED. W. MULLER 

